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Taoiseach: Brexit an 'enormous challenge' for Northern Ireland

(c) Sky News 2017: <a href="http://news.sky.com/story/taoiseach-brexit-an-enormouos-challenge-for-northern-ireland-10749299">Taoiseach: Brexit an 'enormous challenge' for Northern Ireland</a>

Ireland (Other OTC: IRLD - news) 's prime minister, Enda Kenny, has warned that Brexit poses an "enormous challenge" for Northern Ireland.

Speaking at a news conference with Theresa May in Dublin, the Taoiseach said there would be "very negative consequences" if a hard-border was re-introduced.

He said that helping Mrs May to agree a deal to keep UK-EU trade as close as possible would be an "absolute priority" for Ireland ahead of Brexit negotiations.

Speaking after official talks with the PM, Mr Kenny said: "Our two governments are agreed that a close and friction-free economic and trading relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union, including Ireland, is in our very best interests.

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"And as the UK prepares for its formal notification under Article 50, we want to see that these deep trading ties between our two countries are recognised and facilitated.

"That will continue to be an absolute priority for my government, not just in our discussions with the British Government, but also with our EU partners as we prepare for the negotiation process on the EU side of the table."

Earlier this month, Mrs May said she wanted "frictionless" cross-border trade, but remained "open minded" as to whether that would be achieved through associate membership or a new agreement.

Staying fully in the customs union could leave the UK unable to agree free trade deals with other countries from around the world.

However, leaving the European customs union could jeopardise the current soft-border between Northern Ireland and the Republic.

Theresa May said: "We need to find a solution which enables us to have as seamless and frictionless a border as possible between Northern Ireland and Ireland so that we can continue to see the trade, the everyday movements that we have seen up to now.

"And of course we also want to ensure that we carry on with the Common Travel Area, which was in existence long before either of us were members of the European Union or its predecessors."